Steve Bainbridge

Steve was the Equinox race director for 15 years, concluding with the 2010 marathon.

Describe your experience with the Equinox. Have you ran the full marathon, the relay, and/or the ultra? How many times?

I have run the marathon about 8 or 9 times, and the relay 3 or 4 times {when my duties as race director would not let me do all the pre-race announcements, start the race, and then take off for my own 26.2 mile adventure}.

How do you train for this race and when do you start training?

I never stop training!

Do you mostly run the course during the summer and do you run mostly on trails?

Yes.

How often do you incorporate the Dome into your runs?

A lot …… have to work on the uphill as well as the downhill {good quad workout}

What’s your favorite thing about this race?

The people ….

What’s your favorite part of the course?

the parts of the trail that go through the woods, especially after you turn off the chute and head through the woods to North Henderson Road

Your least favorite part?

Going downhill on the pavement on North Henderson Road ….

Describe the best moment you’ve experienced during this race.

Finishing the marathon on race day and getting to hang out at the finish line talking with folks in the sunshine

Describe the worst.

Going hypothermic at the top of Ester Dome and ending up at North Henderson Road and Gold Hill Road flat on the pavement and having folks dress me in dry clothes so I could finish the race, being so out of it that I didn’t even know whose clothes I had on …Well wait, maybe that was the best moment ….

Do you consider yourself a competitive runner?

I would like to think I am, but then again you shouldn’t take the Equinox Marathon too seriously … it’s all about being out on the course surrounded by friends and family

What are your running goals/fitness goals?

Don’t get injured …. Train smart

What’s the best advice or training tips you can share with others who are new to this race?

The chute is only one third of a mile long … take it easy going down the chute … no need to blow your race by getting hurt on the chute

Have you made any big training errors, or race day flubs that adversely affected your enjoyment or time in this race?

Absolutely …. Eating hard candy and trying to shout words of encouragement while running on the out & back, Not dressing in proper layers …. A couple of stories to tell on this one

Any plans on running the race this year?

Yes, and now that I am no longer race director, I hope to actually train and put together a race day plan farther in advance than five minutes before the marathon starts

Why do you participate in this race?

To be out on the trails and in the woods with friends that I have trained with …

[…] much of the course into my training. I trained with friends and we followed the same training as Steve Bainbridge lead, only at a walking pace. As not super serious trainers, I don’t recall how much of the […]

[…] Steve had a good Equinox training program where you get to run the whole course. Start out slow and get a good base to prevent injury. Get in long, slow runs. If you’re able to run a 20 miler, you know you can do the Equinox. There were several times, I’d go out for a 20 mile run and be gone for four to five hours, and I would stash water bottles around the route. You can’t carry that much stuff with you and it’s best to have it along the roadway. […]